How BMW Almost Killed The Combustion MINI Cooper

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MINI, and BMW more broadly, have been smarter than most automakers in their expansion into electric vehicles. Yes, there have been missteps. But the key to their enviable position today is a dual EV and ICE product strategy. What many people do not realize is that it almost did not happen this way. This is the never-told story of how MINI nearly killed the petrol Cooper in its race to electrify the brand.

In 2019, MINI was deep into planning its next generation of products. At the time, much of the world appeared to be moving rapidly toward electrification, especially in dense urban markets. That reality prompted an obvious internal question. If MINI was an urban, youthful brand, why not lead the charge into an all-electric future?

According to multiple sources, MINI made the preliminary decision to move all Cooper models to an all-electric platform manufactured in both Asia and the UK. The J01 and its derivatives would form the foundation for every future Cooper variant as well as the Aceman. Meanwhile, because it could easily share platforms and components with small BMWs, the Countryman would continue to be offered with both internal combustion and electric powertrains.

Under that roadmap, the iconic internal-combustion F56 generation would end meaning the MINI model line-up would consist of an electric Cooper range (plus the Aceman) and the Countryman offered as both petrol and EV.

At this point, the F66 petrol Cooper was not even under consideration. The brand was prepared to sunset the petrol hatch entirely.

How The All Electric Cooper Plans Were Derailed

That idealism quickly hit a brick wall of reality. In key regions like North America and parts of Europe, there was significant internal pushback. Petrol Coopers still accounted for a large share of sales and, as good as EVs can be, they rarely deliver the qualities many customers associate with the Cooper experience. Even more problematic was the state of charging infrastructure, which was severely lacking in large markets like the US, Canada, and Australia.

Under that pressure, MINI executives went back to engineering and design teams and asked a new question. Could the F56 be updated into something fresh enough to live alongside the electric J01 rather than be replaced by it?

The answer was yes. But in typical German form, another facelift wouldn’t suffice. Instead engineers and designers went to work reengineering and refining the F56 in ways they had wanted to for years.

The new F66 (left) and the previous generation F56 (right)

From F56 to F66: What Changed

Although the F66 shares its underlying UKL1 chassis with the F56, the changes are deeper than most people realize. Rather than just tweaking bumpers, MINI engineers re-worked almost every key surface and system to modernize and future-proof the petrol hatch.  

Dimensions & Packaging

• Wider stance: The F66 is noticeably wider than the F56 (about 77.6 inches vs 75.9 inches), thanks in part to a wider track and bigger tyres that improve stability and road feel.  
• Slightly re-shaped body: Front and rear overhangs were trimmed, giving the new car a slightly different silhouette, shorter overall with a more modern look.  
• Boot gains volume: Even cargo space saw a modest bump through clever packaging tweaks.  

The fact that nearly every exterior panel (except roof, doors and glass) is new shows how thorough this redesign was.  

The F66 MINI Cooper JCW

Engine and Drivetrain Tweaks

Rather than simply carrying over the F56’s engines, the F66 introduced revised powerplants and transmissions:

• Petrol Cooper and Cooper S models received power bumps — for instance, the base Cooper up to ~155 hp, Cooper S to ~200 hp.  
• Every petrol model is now paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) instead of the older automatics, sharpening throttle response and acceleration feel.  
• In JCW trim, torque jumps meaningfully even if peak horsepower stays similar, changing how the car feels on the road.  

The sum of these changes gives the F66 petrol lineup a more refined, confident character — especially in mid-range driveability — compared with the older F56.  

The F66 MINI Cooper JCW interior

Interior Revolution

Where the outside feels evolutionary, the inside feels revolutionary:

• MINI lifted the entire dashboard concept and infotainment system from the all-new electric J01 and dropped it into the F66.  
• The centerpiece is a large 9.4-inch circular OLED touchscreen running the new MINI Operating System 9, far more advanced than the F56 system.  
• Physical buttons are pared back to essentials, creating a minimalist cabin.

This digital-first cockpit was a key part of selling the F66 internally, it let the petrol Cooper feel modern in a world where EVs often set the tech bar.

The electric J01 MINI Cooper

Why It Was Worth Saving

From a purely strategic standpoint, letting the petrol Cooper die would have saved hundreds of millions in development costs and accelerated MINI’s push toward electrification. But from a brand, cultural, and market perspective, killing the petrol Cooper at that moment would have created a dangerous gap between MINI’s heritage and its future, one that neither enthusiasts nor mainstream buyers were prepared to cross.

The F66 exists because MINI chose pragmatism over ideology. It preserves the internal-combustion Cooper while layering in enough design, technology, and performance updates to feel relevant in a rapidly changing market.

Fast forward to today and that decision looks remarkably prescient. As EV adoption cools and consumers hesitate to fully commit, MINI finds itself in a rare position of strength. While others scramble to course-correct, MINI already has the flexibility many brands now wish they had built in from the start.

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